Liftmaster gate problem

[gateman444]

Hello everyone, could someone help me with my Liftmaster gate? I recently purchased a house that has a Liftmaster CSW24UL Gate and 2 Diablo DSP-19 loop detectors (system is about 2 years old). On the outside, I have a Cellgate keypad. The keypad works great, the exit loop works great (opens the gate when you are about 20 feet behind it). However, one thing we recently discovered is that when you pull your car past the keypad and get within about 4 feet of the gate, it automatically opens (when it should stay closed because you didn't enter a code). I checked the DSP-19 devices. One had sensitivity set to 4 (everything factory default except frequency set to medium-high) and the other set to 0 (everything factory default). I attempted to lower the sensitivity on both to 0, but it didn't change anything. I also tried changing the frequency of both to low and it didn't help either. Anything else I should try? Thanks!

 

[manwithtools]

I'm no expert when it comes to gate openers and loop detectors, but it seems your approach is logical. A quick Google search shows similar advise. Welcome to GJ, lot's of folks in the trades here, so a good chance someone with direct knowledge will respond.

 

[Hooked]

How far inside the gate is the first loop sensor? Since you set the sensitivity to 0/low is it possible outside the gate is within the minimum distance? Can you test the minimum distance approaching from inside the gate to determine how far away from the sensor it detects the vehicle? Could be when the previous owners installed the system they never got close enough on the outside to cause the gate to open.

 

[tarmy]

I have a LiftMaster gate opener and it has error codes that it displays. Check to see if yours has anything like that. Mine will give codes that are very specific for the issue with trouble shooting listed in the owners manual.

 

[gateman444]

How far inside the gate is the first loop sensor? Since you set the sensitivity to 0/low is it possible outside the gate is within the minimum distance? Can you test the minimum distance approaching from inside the gate to determine how far away from the sensor it detects the vehicle? Could be when the previous owners installed the system they never got close enough on the outside to cause the gate to open.

Thanks for the response! I'm not sure where the loop sensors are physically set. Is there an easy way to tell? Even when I set sensitivity to 0 and 0, (during the exit) the gate still opens way before the car gets anywhere close to the gate. Maybe 20-25 feet back? Another strange thing is when I raise the sensitivity, say to an 8, the system doesn't show any noticeable changes to the distance in which it opens on either side of the gate.

 

[gateman444]

I have a LiftMaster gate opener and it has error codes that it displays. Check to see if yours has anything like that. Mine will give codes that are very specific for the issue with trouble shooting listed in the owners manual.

I checked and it doesn't have any error codes. I think the system thinks everything is working normally.

 

[kbuhagiar]

Just spitballing here...

Some of the newer systems have a proximity sensing option which works in conjunction with a remote fob to automatically open the gate when you are near (within a few feet) - any chance you may have that and not be aware of it?

 

[gateman444]

Just spitballing here...

Some of the newer systems have a proximity sensing option which works in conjunction with a remote fob to automatically open the gate when you are near (within a few feet) - any chance you may have that and not be aware of it?

No, I do not have any type of fob. I've tried about 5 different vehicles and they all open the gate if they pull within a few feet. I just hope the original installers didn't install the loop wires and concrete over them in the wrong spot, then realized their mistake and couldn't fix it. That's why one of the sensors was already set to 0. It's not something easily noticed until you accidentally pull up too far past the keypad.

 

[manwithtools]

What was your address again?

 

[BrandonV]

First step is to physically locate the loop. It wouldn't shock me if the gate was retrofitted and someone decided to reuse the existing loop in the ground. Sensitivity isn't going to matter if you're physically on top of the loop.

Usually unless the loop was installed while the pavement was poured you can make out where the cuts were made.

What was your address again?

Used to carry a pizza pan in the trunk for bypassing gates.

 

[gateman444]

First step is to physically locate the loop. It wouldn't shock me if the gate was retrofitted and someone decided to reuse the existing loop in the ground. Sensitivity isn't going to matter if you're physically on top of the loop.

Usually unless the loop was installed while the pavement was poured you can make out where the cuts were made.



Used to carry a pizza pan in the trunk for bypassing gates.

The previous homeowner did repave the first 120 feet of driveway, including where this gate is located. I think to help sell the house as he didn't repave the rest of the driveway. I never noticed any obvious cuts where the loop wires could be, it is pretty smooth. Do you think there are 2 loops since there are 2 DSP-19s installed? This is the first gate installed at the house, I do know before this gate there was no gate there, just a manual cattle/farm gate.

 

[BrandonV]

The previous homeowner did repave the first 120 feet of driveway, including where this gate is located. I think to help sell the house as he didn't repave the rest of the driveway. I never noticed any obvious cuts where the loop wires could be, it is pretty smooth. Do you think there are 2 loops since there are 2 DSP-19s installed? This is the first gate installed at the house, I do know before this gate there was no gate there, just a manual cattle/farm gate.

If you have two DSP-19s you have two loops. You probably have an safety loop and and exit loop.

If I was to take a guess, it sounds like you're triggering the safety loop.

 

[gateman444]

If you have two DSP-19s you have two loops. You probably have an safety loop and and exit loop.

You might want to check that the safety loop isn't connected as the exit loop. That could cause the problems you're seeing.

They aren't labeled. I'm not sure if this helps or not. The DSP-19 that was set to sensitivity 4 originally is plugged into the "interrupt" port on the board and the one that was set to 0 is plugged into the "exit" port in the board.

Then they are wired to the right side of the Liftmaster board (maybe this is just for power, they have black/red cables). One is wired to the right side of the Liftmaster board next to the word "exit" and the other is wired to the bottom right side of the Liftmaster board next to the words "SBC OPN".

 

[ArcReactorKC]

Used to carry a pizza pan in the trunk for bypassing gates.

Back when I did home standby generator service I also had a pizza pan with a rope on it. Slide it under the gate, hop back in the truck and use the rope to grab the pan so I didn't have to get back out.

 

[BrandonV]

They aren't labeled. I'm not sure if this helps or not. The DSP-19 that was set to sensitivity 4 originally is plugged into the "interrupt" port on the board and the one that was set to 0 is plugged into the "exit" port in the board.

Then they are wired to the right side of the Liftmaster board (maybe this is just for power, they have black/red cables). One is wired to the right side of the Liftmaster board next to the word "exit" and the other is wired to the bottom right side of the Liftmaster board next to the words "SBC OPN".

So the interrupt loop is what you're triggering from what it sounds like. It sits on the outside of the gate (the secured) side and will stop the gate from closing if the vehicle stops in the path of the swing. There is no reason the Liftmaster would accept the interrupt loop to open the gate so I suspect its an interference issue causing the exit loop to activate.

You could test this theory by disconnecting the exit loop from the opener and seeing if your vehicle test still opens the gate from the secure side.

You should not have both DSP-19s set to the same frequency. They should be different. Try setting both to different frequencies (further apart) and see if the situation improves.

 

[tarmy]

I checked and it doesn't have any error codes. I think the system thinks everything is working normally.

Try and reset it. Mine has been great…once all adjusted and functioning. You may wanna try and remove one loop at a time and see what happens. Reconnect them individually and play around with it until something throws a code or you figure out which loop is shorted/broken.

 

[gateman444]

So, it looks like the Interrupt DSP-19 is opening the gate from the wrong side. I pulled my truck up as normal to open the gate from the inside. As soon as it opened I looked at the panel. The DSP-19 for the Exit module is lit up, the LED "EXIT" on the right side of the board is solid, and "Timer" is blinking on the board. I then pulled the truck up on the outside of the gate by about 3-4 feet (where it should not open). The gate opened and the DSP-19 module for Interrupt is lit up, but not the Exit module. On the Liftmaster board, the top right LED labeled "open" is blinking orange as is the "Timer" led as well. I wonder if there is a way to tell the Liftmaster board to not open the gate from the interrupt module, but rather just prevent it from closing?

 

[BrandonV]

So, it looks like the Interrupt DSP-19 is opening the gate from the wrong side. I pulled my truck up as normal to open the gate from the inside. As soon as it opened I looked at the panel. The DSP-19 for the Exit module is lit up, the LED "EXIT" on the right side of the board is solid, and "Timer" is blinking on the board. I then pulled the truck up on the outside of the gate by about 3-4 feet (where it should not open). The gate opened and the DSP-19 module for Interrupt is lit up, but not the Exit module. On the Liftmaster board, the top right LED labeled "open" is blinking orange as is the "Timer" led as well. I wonder if there is a way to tell the Liftmaster board to not open the gate from the interrupt module, but rather just prevent it from closing?

I would clear the limits & relearn them and see if the situation improves.

 

[BrandonV]

Do you have a picture of the connections? Might be helpful for troubleshooting.

 

[gateman444]

Here are some images. The DSP-19 on the left is the interrupt loop. The top of it is wired to the bottom right side of the control board as shown in the image. I feel like this is wired incorrectly (The manual talks about this area being for buttons like Open/Close/etc). The exit loop DSP-19 is wired directly next to the "Exit" led, which works properly. The Electronic Eye sensor is directly wired next to the "Eye/Interrupt", which is correct.

 

[BrandonV]

Yes. That seems wrong. I would move the interrupt loop to a free CLOSE EYES / INTERUPT terminal.

 

[gateman444]

Yes. That seems wrong. I would move the exit loop to a free CLOSE EYES / INTERUPT terminal.

Here is what is available for the interrupt loop. Can you connect to any of the other 2 empty yellow connections?

 

[gateman444]

Here is what is available for the interrupt loop. Can you connect to any of the other 2 empty yellow connections?

 

[BrandonV]

Do you have the expansion board? You probably need it for this to be done properly (photo eye & exit loop). Without it I don't think you can use more than one.

 

[gateman444]

Yes, I do have the expansion board.

 

[BrandonV]

Yes, I do have the expansion board.

So the interrupt loop should be okay hooked up to #9.

 

[gateman444]

So the interrupt loop should be okay hooked up to #9.

Yes, the loop itself (which runs under the driveway) is connected to #9. What I think is wrong is the output cable coming out of the Interrupt DSP-19 module. Red wire is connected to #4 and the black wire #6. In the manual for the DSP-19, it says the black wire is "common" and the red wire is "output". This makes sense, because when the safety loop activates it opens the gate and the open link blinks.

 

[BrandonV]

Yes, the loop itself (which runs under the driveway) is connected to #9. What I think is wrong is the output cable coming out of the Interrupt DSP-19 module. Red wire is connected to #4 and the black wire #6. In the manual for the DSP-19, it says the black wire is "common" and the red wire is "output". This makes sense, because when the safety loop activates it opens the gate and the open link blinks.

How is the exit loop wired as a comparison? The loop itself should be going into the DSP-19 and the output from the DSP-19 should be going into the LM board.

 

[gateman444]

How is the exit loop wired as a comparison? The loop itself should be going into the DSP-19 and the output from the DSP-19 should be going into the LM board.

The Exit loop is wired into the LM board right next to the Exit LED light (as shown above in one of my images).

 

[BrandonV]

The Exit loop is wired into the LM board right next to the Exit LED light (as shown above in one of my images).

Okay I had to re-read the manual and review your photos.

Loops should be connected to #7 & #9. Output from the DSP-19 doing the interrupt should be able to go to CLOSE/EDGE. Try the other pair if that doesn't work.

 

[gateman444]

Okay I had to re-read the manual and review your photos.

Loops should be connected to #7 & #9. Output from the DSP-19 doing the interrupt should be able to go to CLOSE/EDGE. Try the other pair if that doesn't work.

Thanks, I am going to try this later when I get home. I wonder if I can just power it off, move the cables to CLOSE/EDGE and turn it back on, or if you have to reset anything?

 

[BrandonV]

Thanks, I am going to try this later when I get home. I wonder if I can just power it off, move the cables to CLOSE/EDGE and turn it back on, or if you have to reset anything?

Should be good just powering off and powering back on.

 

[walta]

If you have two DSP-19s you have two loops. You probably have an safety loop and and exit loop.

If I was to take a guess, it sounds like you're triggering the safety loop.

Logic says that tripping the safety would not make a closed gate open. The safety would only prevent the gate from closing on something.

Lets consider could someone have connected the safety loop to the exit connector on the control board and vise versa

Walta

 

[BrandonV]

Logic says that tripping the safety would not make a closed gate open. The safety would only prevent the gate from closing on something.

Lets consider could someone have connected the safety loop to the exit connector on the control board and vise versa

Walta

Based on his photos, the integrator improperly connected the safety loop to the button contacts for opening. Those contacts are monitored while the gate is closing and closed which is improper.

My statement was one of fact. He is triggering the safety loop which is connected improperly.